We had the best intentions…

Our family had the best intentions. We strived to create a great future for my younger sister, Sarah, who has Down syndrome, no matter what future events would transpire. For weeks, we endured many hours of emotional conversations. We thoroughly hashed out all of the precise details of our plan. We thought through every pitfall, evaluated every potential problem, and developed strategies to overcome such obstacles so that Sarah could live a purposeful, impactful life.

“We need to figure out how we are going to support our child when we, as parents, are gone.”

“How can we make sure our government benefits cover all of our expenses?”

“We have to make sure you have a sound strategy to fund your Special Needs Trust.”

These statements–uttered by both parents and professionals–are made daily because my industry has made special needs planning into a process that is focused on keeping families stuck with limited expectations and a limited mindset about the future.